Video: UFC vet Mac Danzig announces retirement, cites health concerns

Mac Danzig is retiring from MMA after 13 years as a professional fighter.

The 34-year-old Los Angeles resident, who first emerged on the national stage by winning “The Ultimate Fighter 6,” hangs up his gloves with a 21-12-1 record. His resume includes 13 professional fights with the UFC, where he earned a 5-8 record.

Danzig (21-12-1 MMA, 5-8 UFC) shared his plans with MMAjunkie and said his decision was informed by concerns over his long-term health and his ability to care for his 5-year-old daughter, Nova. He spoke about his decision to hang up his gloves in an extended video interview, which can be seen above.

“It’s really hard for a fighter to make this decision, because whatever inside of you that has brought you to the decision to try to become a professional fighter is also what makes you not want to quit,” Danzig said. “What I have to do is take a step aside and view it realistically for what it is, which is not quitting, but moving on to other things.”

A talented photographer, Danzig plans to stay in the sport and would like to put his talents to use by documenting it on film or through writing. He said he would like to work with the UFC in the future in a non-fighting capacity.

“I’ve got a lot of different things that I can offer,” Danzig said. “It’s just finding that one thing, pinpointing it and going after it.”

Prior to his most recent fight, a decision loss to lightweight Joe Lauzon at UFC on FOX 9, Danzig made headlines when he announced he wouldn’t seek sponsors to pad his bottom line for the bout. The decision drew the attention of UFC President Dana White, who cited the veteran lightweight while talking about a potential new sponsorship program for the industry-leading fight promotion.

Danzig first earned acclaim in the mid-2000s on the California regional circuit, where he won 12 straight fights over two years and was a five-time champ in the King of the Cage promotion. After losing the belt in 2007, he took a big leap in competition and fought Hayato Sakurai in the now-defunct PRIDE organization. Although he lost the bout, he went on to earn a spot on “TUF 6,” where his experience instantly distinguished him from other contestants.

Danzig submitted Tommy Speer at the reality show’s live finale and then submitted Mark Bocek in a subsequent bout before hitting a three-fight skid. He rebounded, but he was never able to build a streak of wins.

Notably, he was a three-time winner of the UFC’s “Fight of the Night” bonus and once won an extra $100,000 for a “Knockout of the Night” performance against Joe Stevenson at UFC 124.

ALBANY, N.Y. – MMAjunkie is on scene and reporting live from today’s UFC Fight Night 102 event at Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y., which kicks off at 5:45 p.m. ET (2:45 p.m. PT). You can discuss the event here.